Women’s World Cup fans arrive for opening match between New Zealand and Norway

Fans arrived for the opening match of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup between New Zealand and Norway on Thursday, 20 July.

The co-hosts kicked off the tournament at Eden Park in Auckland before the Matildas hosted the Republic of Ireland side in front of a sold-out 80,000 crowd at Stadium Australia in Sydney.

The Football Ferns’ head coach Jitka Klimkova has challenged her side to make football as popular as rugby in the southern hemisphere nation.

New Zealand are playing at their sixth finals but are yet to win a match.